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Lowe Family Young Scholars holds dinner for potential members

A crowd filled the dining center on the Oklahoma Wesleyan University campus on Saturday evening for a special Lowe Family Young Scholars Program event.

In attendance were around 30 fifth graders from elementary sites throughout the Bartlesville Public School District — potential members of the LFYSP who had been recommended by their respective principals, teachers and counselors. Also on hand for the event, which included dinner provided compliments of OWU, were the students’ family members as well as mentors and organizers from the program.

“It was a very successful event,” notes Karen Lowe, who along with husband and former president of the Bartlesville Board of Education Barry W. Lowe founded the program in February of 2006. “We accomplished our goal, which was to help familiarize some potential members of the program with exactly what the LFYSP is all about.”

The LFYSP is a mentoring program which utilizes scholarships to help students who might not otherwise have the means to attend a college or university. The program partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters as well as Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Rogers State University.

Sixteen students — all of whom are enrolled within the Bartlesville Public School District — are currently in the LFYSP. Three others have graduated the program and are currently enrolled in two of the three participating institutions — Kelsey Bridges and younger brother Thomas Bridges at OSU, and Dallas Lewis at OWU.

The LFYSP originally aided students who attended — or had attended — Jane Phillips Elementary School before evolving to include Oak Park and Richard Kane elementary schools as well. On Aug. 31, however, the Lowes announced that the program will accept students — from the fifth through the 11th grades — from all 10 of the schools which comprise the BPSD.

The LFYSP currently has approximately $1.4 million in endowments available for scholarships to help students who are enrolled in the program go on to OSU, OWU or Rogers State. The minimum scholarship available through the program is valued at $4,000 annually for four years.

Applications are currently being accepted for those students who would like to be considered for the 2011-12 class of the LFYSP. Typically, around five students comprise a class in a given year, and students must apply to be accepted. Applications are available online at the LFYSP website — www.loweyoungscholar.org — or through a counselor at one of the BPSD’s schools. Weighing heavily on applications are areas such as grade-point average, attendance rates, need of the family and recommendations by the students’ teachers, counselors and/or administrators.

Applications for those students who wish to be considered for the program can be turned in at their respective schools, and must be done so by Nov. 16.

Saturday’s event on the OWU campus gave those involved with the program an opportunity to offer insight about it and answer any questions that prospective members might have. Several people spoke from a podium set up in the front of the dining center, including the Lowes, Lewis, parent Melissa Cole and OWU representative Kandi Molder.

The fifth grade students who attended the event were able to spend some time with members of the OWU men’s basketball and women’s soccer teams, who were on hand. They were able to meet some of the LFYSP mentors as well.

Students who are selected for the program are asked to help out in the community by assisting in organized efforts for local non-profit organizations such as the Kiddie Park and the Salvation Army. They attend quarterly meetings and have access to programs which help them learn about areas such as money management and investing.

The LFYSP’s next quarterly meeting is scheduled to be held Jan. 7 on the OWU campus. As is tradition, in May, officials will introduce the program’s newest class.

The program’s next volunteering effort is scheduled to take place on Nov. 19 at the Bartlesville-based branch of the Salvation Army as the members help to prepare special food baskets for Christmas. Also, plans are afoot for a second fashion show fundraising event for the program to be held next summer. The 2010 Lowe Family Young Scholars Program Afternoon Tea, Fashion Show and Silent Auction was held during the spring on the OWU campus and proved quite popular, prompting discussions for a follow-up event.

In May, seniors Vanessa Carreno and Moncerat Sanchez are scheduled to graduate from Bartlesville High School as well as the LFYSP. Thanks to the program, they will both go on to attend OWU. Prior to that, the program’s first-ever graduate — Kelsey Bridges, who is an education major at OSU — is due to earn her degree in December. Her plan is to eventually teach at Jane Phillips Elementary School, which she attended as a child.

Those who would like to learn more about the LFYSP program and all that it has to offer can send an email to loweyoungscholar@aol.com or call (918) 336-5678. With new students due to join the program in the coming months, more mentors will be needed as well.

Saturday evening’s dinner event spanned approximately two hours, and everyone seemed to come away from it smiling.